Supporters of the New Force have thronged the Independence Square chanting patriotic songs as they demand access to the venue for The Convention programme.
The Convention which was put together by the New Africa Foundation is to bring together thought leaders in Africa including Professor PLO Lumumba, Peter Obi, Julius Malema, and others to speak on key challenges confronting Africa’s development.
The programme which was scheduled to start at 5 pm on Sunday, December 7, is currently on hold because some armed military men and police are currently manning the entrance to the Independence Square, preventing entry to members of the public.
It is unclear why the new turn of event.
This is not the first time the government has had a clash with the New Force group.
In November 2023, billboards with the inscription “New Force” sprung up in various parts of the country. A month later, the Spokesperson for the emerging political movement, Shalimar Abbiusi, was arrested.
Ms Abbiusi was first seen publicly in a video announcing preparations to unveil their plan for the next election.
However, this plan did not materialise as she was arrested shortly after and arraigned before court for allegedly obtaining a student residency permit by false declaration.
Although the state subsequently dropped all charges against her, the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) rearrested her outside the court premises and repatriated her.
Update
The New Africa Foundation Convention to be held at Independence Square has been cancelled.
Hours after the cancellation, the leaders of the Convention organised a press conference at Cantonments.
Professor PLO Lumumba said, “We came to Ghana to share a message of hope that Africa needs at this time and there is no better place to begin that message than Accra Ghana.
“It is in Accra that Osageyefo Kwame Nkrumah almost 67 years ago, spoke to the world and said the ‘Independence of Ghana is meaningless until it is linked with the independence of the African continent’”.
Source: JoyOnline